Hoosiers take on Spartans in makeup game

IU's season ended last year in the national semifinals to Life University. Life won the ACHA Division II Championship. It is a title Life will not be defending. \nIn August, Life University cut its club hockey team along with its other athletics programs in an attempt to bolster its academic reputation. The move left a void in the IU hockey schedule that will be filled this weekend with one game against Michigan State (1-2-1) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Frank Southern Arena.\nThe Hoosiers (2-2-0) are looking to rebound after a pair of losses against Division I Illinois last weekend. The losses are fresh on the minds of the players and they are ready to get back on track, said junior forward Mike Piotrowski.\n"Just the fact that we lost those games, and we really didn't play that bad, makes us real hungry for the win this weekend," Piotrowski said.\nThough Michigan State is a Great Midwest Hockey League member, the game will be a non-conference game. Michigan State was scheduled to play Life University four times this year, so IU and Michigan State agreed to this weekend's game to help fill both teams' schedules. \nIU hockey general manager Adam Schuchman said it was a tough situation. \n"We wanted to pick up a challenging opponent who was going to give us a good contest like Life was going to give us without taking a step down and playing an easier team," Schuchman said. "Plus, the fans always like to come out and see a good game and that was part of the decision."\nCoach Rich Holdeman said he will look for improvement on the powerplay this weekend. The Hoosiers were 0 for 11 last Saturday on the powerplay and gave up two shorthanded goals, but Holdeman said he was pleased with many other things his team did.\n"We need to work on (powerplays)," Holdeman said. "But I was real pleased with the penalty kill, which had been the real killer for us on Friday, and I thought our goaltending was good the whole series, especially (senior goalie Charlie) Pulley."\nPulley recorded 34 saves en route to a 5-3 loss last Friday night. Piotrowski said he thinks IU came away from Illinois a better team and that it will show Saturday night.\n"We started to work harder, more physically, and I think our attitude has changed a lot," Piotrowski said. "And anytime we play a team like Michigan State, we want to win. It doesn't matter if it isn't a league game. We want to win"